Millie Just Stops! How Exciting...

[On Pins and Needles]

I've been gone for a long time, dh has been sick for about a year. Things are improving but we're dealing with parkinsons now, it's a whole new scary world we now live in.

The last quilt I did my machine kept stopping, everything just shuts off. I got that one done but I'm afraid to put the next one on until I figure this out. I do have a ground wire, is it possible for it to go bad? Maybe it's come loose but I'm not even sure which wire is the ground. It looks like everything is connected.

Thanks so much.

[HeidiP]

Cindy,

I am so sorry for what you are going through. Life has certainly given you some challenges and we don't want your Millie to be one of them. Static electricity can certainly cause some problems. Let's see if we can figure it out.

I live in Idaho and had some problems before I made some minor change, like not wearing wool socks on my carpet.

We'll figure this out! Here's a few questions to get us started:

Is your machine hooked up to a UPS, an uninterrupted power source with battery backup?

Are you on carpet, vinyl or wood floors?

Do your wear shoes, just socks or bare feet?

Can you see the grounding wire? Is it against metal or a painted surface? (A good ground needs to be a metal to metal contact.)

Is the machine shutting down a new problem?

Is the cord plugging into the outlet or UPS a snug fit?

[barbm]

Cindy, if your machine is stopping, it's usually because there's a short somewhere. First thing to check, of course, are the clip and wire that ground your M&M wheels. The clip is mounted underneath one of your head axles and rarely comes loose. The grounding wire is attached to a screw at the back of your head - the other end goes on one of the bolts that hold your carriage to its back axle. It shouldn't be loose, either.

The likely culprit is a grounding washer on one of your handles. They might not be making adequate contact with the head, either from being loose or (in the case of the front handles) having too much oil insulating them. Take each of your handles off and reattach, making sure that the screws (and grounding washers) are in firm contact. Be sure to wipe out excess oil around your front handlebars.

If none of that works, don't hesitate to give me a call!

[On Pins and Needles]

Barb and Heidi: thanks for the tips. I checked what I think is the ground wire and it appears to be connected tightly. The machine is just plugged into the wall, I do unplug it at the end of every day. It's on a cement floor with vinyl, I'm usually in flip flops this time of year. The problem is new as of the most recent quilt. It starts up again right away as soon as I hit the button, happened about 6 times.

I'm really mechanically challenged but I'll do some research and see if I can figure out how to take the handles off, I may come back looking for more help.

Thanks again.

[Cagey]

Cindy:

 

Have you tried plugging in a working nightlight to ensure you have power in the outlet?  If the outlet works, possibly try an extension cord to another outlet.  You said you are on a cement floor so I think basement.  So the outlet you use may be on a GFI circuit that is having issues.

 

Cagey

[On Pins and Needles]

I'm finally back to thank all of you for the help. I pondered all the suggestions and I remembered that a few months ago I had the same problem with my dsm. I narrowed it down to a bad ott light so I took that thing off, all has been good with that machine since. Well, before I could get that ott light in the trash dh attached it on his computer desk which is near the outlet my Millie is plugged into. I got rid of that ott light ( thus time it's gone with the garbage man) and everything is now working fine again.

Now if I could just get back to work. I have a daylight basement house, I've been using the whole basement for my sewing. Well, dh's daughter and sil have come to live with us and I've donated half of that space to them....oh what a mess! Their rooms are done and very neat, mine on the other hand are a still full time job trying to consolidate all my crap into the smaller space.

Thanks again to all of you!

[barbm]

Cindy, on the one hand, I'm so glad that you figured out what was happening and corrected it!!  Lesson to us all - it's now always about the machine, it may be other factors.  On the other hand, I wish I could wave a magic wand and clear up your sewing space - but I'd have to use that wand on my own sewing space first, which might use up all its magic.....  Have fun quilting, my friend!!